A Mass of Christian Burial for Msgr. Thomas J. Gradilone, a senior priest, was celebrated March 14 in the chapel at Immaculate Conception Pastoral Center, Douglaston. He died March 12. He was 88.
Born in Ridgewood, he attended Cathedral College, Brooklyn; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington. He was ordained June 3, 1950 by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen parish, Carroll Gardens, 1950, before being assigned to the faculty of Cathedral College. When the college’s campus opened in Douglaston in 1967, he moved there and served as the president of the college from 1970 to 1981. He held doctorates in the classical languages.
In 1981, he became pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs parish, Forest Hills, where he retired in 2000.
Auxiliary Bishop Raymond Chappetto was the main celebrant of the funeral Mass. Others included Msgr. Vincent Keane; Fathers Coleman Costello and James Tighe, and Msgr. George Deas, who preached the homily.
Burial was in St. John’s Cemetery, Middle Village.
He was one of the best priests at Cathedral high school. He was reasonable, kind and friendly.